…PDP summons Bankole, asks House to apologise to Nigerians over brawl
Human Rights lawyers, activists and politicians on Wednesday condemned the suspension of 11 members of the House of Representatives. Again, following the free-for-all on Tuesday at the House of Representatives, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has summoned Dimeji Bankole, speaker of the House for an explanation of what transpired and also asked the lower chamber to apologise to Nigerians.
In an interview with newsmen in Lagos, Femi Falana and Festus Keyamo argued that the members were elected under the constitution and could not be suspended by the House’s internal rules. According to Falana, only death, resignation or recall from the constituency can remove a lawmaker from office, pointing out that the speaker cannot suspend a member even for one hour.
“The lawmakers have four unbroken years to represent their constituencies and the speaker cannot change that. The suspension is illegal and void,” Keyamo said. Reacting to Tuesday’s fracas in the House, the protem national chairman of the Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP), Pat Utomi, advocated a part time legislature for Nigeria. Utomi told newsmen in Lagos that the remuneration of the lawmakers was unreasonable and expressed the need for a “Citizens Legislature with simple allowances.”
“We must cut down on such costs if we are to move as a nation. The lawmakers should not get more than three percent of the nation’s total budget,” Utomi said. In his comment, the governorship candidate of the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) in Lagos in 2007, Jimi Agbaje, said that there was need to de-monetise governance in Nigeria.
“The lawmakers are not true representatives of their people. It is a lesson for us to watch out for who we choose as our leaders in 2011” Agbaje said. Meanwhile, following the free-for-all on Tuesday at the House of Representatives, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has summoned Dimeji Bankole, speaker of the House for an explanation of what transpired.
The party after its weekly National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Wednesday directed that the House of Representatives should immediately apologise to Nigerians for their un-parliamentary conduct on Tuesday. The anti-Bankole members of the House had engaged other members on Tuesday in fisticuffs before eleven of them were suspended indefinitely by a unanimous voice vote.
Those suspended were Dino Melaye, leader of the group; Anas Adamu; Ehiogie West-Idahosa; Independence Ogunewe; Solomon Awhinawhi; Austin Nwachukwu; Gbenga Oduwaiye; Gbenga Onigbogi; Kayode Amusan; Bitrus Kaze, and Doris Uboh, the only female member.
Bankole, who abandoned Wednesday’s sitting to attend to the summons by the party met with the National Working Committee of the party presided over by its national chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, behind closed doors for over two hours.
Emerging from the meeting at 4.30p.m, Bankole dressed in his traditional white outfit, declined comment, but as he descended the second floor he waited and said “okay, I have a comment; I have come to congratulate the new chairman” and moved to his official car before he drove away. The party, however, speaking through its national publicity secretary, Rufai Alkali, after its weekly NWC meeting condemned the resort to violence carried out in the full glare of the public including school children who had gone to the National Assembly to experience the process of legislation first hand.
The party, while describing the fracas as totally not in conformity with the mood of the nation and the policy thrust of President Goodluck Jonathan, directed that the House of Representatives offer apology to Nigerians for the disgraceful and avoidable conduct.
The NWC announced that it has invited the leadership of the House for briefing while all those involved are to also come to explain their roles to enable the party take the next line of action. “The NWC has already invited the leadership of the House of Representatives for briefing on this unfortunate incident. Meanwhile, the NWC has also resolved to invite all those involved in this unruly behaviour to explain their roles to enable the party take the next line of action”, Alkali said.
It was, however, learnt that Bankole was summoned by the leadership of the party to find out from him why he allowed the crisis in the House to degenerate to fracas on Tuesday.
It was also learnt that the party leadership endorsed the action of the House to suspend the unruly members to instill discipline, but the party called for caution in handling of similar situation in future. It was learnt that the House took the decision to suspend the eleven members after other members were confronted by evidence that the anti-Bankole group made demands from Bankole to have the alleged case of fraud dropped.
According to a source, “members were disappointed when they were confronted with evidence that the anti-Bankole group made demands for committee chairmanship slots including monetary”
By Tunji Olawuni
Human Rights lawyers, activists and politicians on Wednesday condemned the suspension of 11 members of the House of Representatives. Again, following the free-for-all on Tuesday at the House of Representatives, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has summoned Dimeji Bankole, speaker of the House for an explanation of what transpired and also asked the lower chamber to apologise to Nigerians.
In an interview with newsmen in Lagos, Femi Falana and Festus Keyamo argued that the members were elected under the constitution and could not be suspended by the House’s internal rules. According to Falana, only death, resignation or recall from the constituency can remove a lawmaker from office, pointing out that the speaker cannot suspend a member even for one hour.
“The lawmakers have four unbroken years to represent their constituencies and the speaker cannot change that. The suspension is illegal and void,” Keyamo said. Reacting to Tuesday’s fracas in the House, the protem national chairman of the Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP), Pat Utomi, advocated a part time legislature for Nigeria. Utomi told newsmen in Lagos that the remuneration of the lawmakers was unreasonable and expressed the need for a “Citizens Legislature with simple allowances.”
“We must cut down on such costs if we are to move as a nation. The lawmakers should not get more than three percent of the nation’s total budget,” Utomi said. In his comment, the governorship candidate of the Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) in Lagos in 2007, Jimi Agbaje, said that there was need to de-monetise governance in Nigeria.
“The lawmakers are not true representatives of their people. It is a lesson for us to watch out for who we choose as our leaders in 2011” Agbaje said. Meanwhile, following the free-for-all on Tuesday at the House of Representatives, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has summoned Dimeji Bankole, speaker of the House for an explanation of what transpired.
Those suspended were Dino Melaye, leader of the group; Anas Adamu; Ehiogie West-Idahosa; Independence Ogunewe; Solomon Awhinawhi; Austin Nwachukwu; Gbenga Oduwaiye; Gbenga Onigbogi; Kayode Amusan; Bitrus Kaze, and Doris Uboh, the only female member.
Bankole, who abandoned Wednesday’s sitting to attend to the summons by the party met with the National Working Committee of the party presided over by its national chairman, Okwesilieze Nwodo, behind closed doors for over two hours.
Emerging from the meeting at 4.30p.m, Bankole dressed in his traditional white outfit, declined comment, but as he descended the second floor he waited and said “okay, I have a comment; I have come to congratulate the new chairman” and moved to his official car before he drove away. The party, however, speaking through its national publicity secretary, Rufai Alkali, after its weekly NWC meeting condemned the resort to violence carried out in the full glare of the public including school children who had gone to the National Assembly to experience the process of legislation first hand.
The party, while describing the fracas as totally not in conformity with the mood of the nation and the policy thrust of President Goodluck Jonathan, directed that the House of Representatives offer apology to Nigerians for the disgraceful and avoidable conduct.
The NWC announced that it has invited the leadership of the House for briefing while all those involved are to also come to explain their roles to enable the party take the next line of action. “The NWC has already invited the leadership of the House of Representatives for briefing on this unfortunate incident. Meanwhile, the NWC has also resolved to invite all those involved in this unruly behaviour to explain their roles to enable the party take the next line of action”, Alkali said.
It was, however, learnt that Bankole was summoned by the leadership of the party to find out from him why he allowed the crisis in the House to degenerate to fracas on Tuesday.
It was also learnt that the party leadership endorsed the action of the House to suspend the unruly members to instill discipline, but the party called for caution in handling of similar situation in future. It was learnt that the House took the decision to suspend the eleven members after other members were confronted by evidence that the anti-Bankole group made demands from Bankole to have the alleged case of fraud dropped.
According to a source, “members were disappointed when they were confronted with evidence that the anti-Bankole group made demands for committee chairmanship slots including monetary”
By Tunji Olawuni
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